The Gilmer High Bobcats’ basketball team met the Tigers of Ringgold High School in the first round of the 7AAA Region tournament Tuesday evening. The Blue Devils demolished the Bobcats 67-47, in a game that the Bobcats never truly were “in.”The Tigers scored 13 points before the Bobcats managed to score a point. Austin White finally got the Bobcats on the board with a three pointer. Ringgold’s Blake Womack answered right back with a three of his own. Ringgold used a tenacious zone defense to force the Bobcats to hit outside shots. They did not. In fact, the Bobcats scored a total of four points in the first quarter, all from White.

Ryan Lowery (32) Calls for Ball
(Photo by LT Melton)

Gilmer was able to cut the lead down to nine after a basket from Nathan Voyles made the score 24-13 with just under five minutes left in the first half. That was the closest score of the night. The Bobcats entered the half down by 10, 35-25. The Tigers were “Greeaaat” at getting to the free throw line by repeatedly attacking the basket and gaining second and third shot opportunities with offensive rebounds.

Despite the energy exuberating from the Gilmer fans, the Bobcats lackluster play continued in the second half. While Tigers were ferociously attacking the lane and fighting for every loose ball, the Bobcats couldn’t find rhythm with a map from James Brown.

Nathan Voyles (42)
(Photo by LT Melton)

The difference in the game was on the glass. While Ringgold seemingly grabbed every available rebound, the Bobcats treated rebounds like strangers at the preschool playground. The small but boisterous Gilmer crowd repeatedly begged the Bobcats to rebound, but the pleas fell on deaf ears as the Bobcats looked listless throughout the contest. One of the exacerbated Bobcats fans yelled from the stands,

“Fouling ain’t hustling!”

The Tigers were hitting from all over the floor. At one point Ringgold’s Nick Scott hit a three pointer from so far away it might have been in a different time zone. Scott finished with a game high 25 points, over twice as many Gilmer’s top scorer Ben Cole, who finished with 12 points.

The game ended with both teams clearing the benches and letting younger players get some experience.